World

5 Inspiring Speakers From the United Nations Youth Forum

U.N. Youth Forum

1. Wael Ghonim, Egyptian Internet Activist and Google Executive

More than two years after starting the "We are all Khaled Saeed" Facebook page that helped spark the anti-Mubarak protests of Jan. 25, 2011, Mr. Ghonim engaged Wednesday with the audience of young leaders and social activists assembled at the U.N.

He encouraged the youngsters to look at his life as an example and "Ignore the people who are simply telling you this is crazy, that this is not going to happen."

Image by Trevor Gowan/Mashable

2. Ahmad Alhendawi, U.N. Secretary-General’s Envoy for Youth

During the U.N. Youth Forum, Mashable sat down with Mr. Ahmed Alhendawi to talk about the importance of social media for his mission engaging youth.

"On our planet there is only one United Nations and do you know why it’s called United Nations?," he said. "For me, it’s called United Nations because it’s mandated to unite nations, business, democracy, development, security, peace, and these values that should unite nations. This is not the job of the people working in this building. This is not the job of governments. It is not the job of experts. This is the job of everyone."

3. Zeenat Rahman, Special Adviser for Global Youth Issues, U.S. Secretary of State Kerry

Before her closing keynote, Rahman, spoke with Mashable about the ever-important role of social media for youth entrepreneurship and youth-driven growth in mobile app development.

"The growth of the mobile industry means the explosion of apps being created and there is going to be people who are making those apps," she said. "And really, who’s at the forefront of making that? It's young people!”

Image by Trevor Gowan/Mashable

4. Philip Thigo, Founder, INFONET

Mr. Thigo engaged with the large audience of young people at the U.N. by challenging them to ask questions of speakers, share out their ideas, and interact with their neighbors in the conference room, in their classrooms, and all around the world.

"Nobody has a Master’s degree or PhD in social media," he said, "so we can all be experts."

Image by Trevor Gowan/Mashable

5. Stacy Martinet, Chief Marketing Officer at Mashable

Before speaking on a panel discussion about how social media can make big ideas happen, Martinet joined a press conference with Ghonim, Alhendawi, Amb. Néstor Osorio and U.N. Spokesperson Martin Nesirky.

"You can’t have a youth conversation without having a social media conversation," she said.

Youth representatives and young leaders in social media gathered Wednesday at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to discuss what the future holds for young innovators.

The U.N. Economic and Social Council, ECOSOC, sponsored a series of panels centered around the campaign for Youth to "Innovate Your Future." Check out five out five of our favorite speakers in the gallery above.

The U.N. also announced the new Thunderclap campaign for youth to share their voices to inspire the world to improve lives with science, technology, innovation, and culture.

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